Lieutenant governor unveils plan to pay for infrastructure

Mississippi's lieutenant governor wants to borrow and divert existing revenue to provide more money for roads and bridges over the next six years.

Posted: Feb. 19, 2018 3:23 PM

Updated: Feb. 19, 2018 6:33 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi's lieutenant governor wants to borrow and divert existing revenue to provide more money for roads and bridges over the next six years.

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Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday unveiled Senate Bill 3046, which he says will increase infrastructure spending more than $1 billion through 2023.

The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to take up the plan Monday.

Reeves would divert leftover money at the end of every budget year to a fund that the governor would control for "long-term strategic infrastructure investments" or to match federal money. The amount could total more than $550 million, but could be less if revenues run short.

Reeves would also divert $180 million from current highway funding to local bridge projects chosen by the governor.